Eli Thompson helps carry a box of Canadian Club Whisky. Eli is the former Atlantic County Sheriff and the younger brother of Atlantic City crime boss Nucky Thompson.

How much is too much for rare whiskey these days? I'm sure you've walked into a bar, spotted whiskies priced over $50 per drink and thought WTF? You aren't alone in that thought however, the quantity of rare whiskies going for $50 or more has increased over the past few years. Last night, I saw Pappy Van Winkle 23yr for $74 for 2oz. That's quite the juiced up price. Limited whiskies like these are difficult for restaurants to procure and down right impossible to find at your local liquor store, so why not charge the price? People pay $1000+ at a club for $40 vodka, why not make almost $1000 per bottle when it costs over $150 retail?

Actually, you can't even get Pappy Van Winkle 23yr retail. It doesn't make it to BevMo shelves as most bottles are spoken for long before they become available. (A quick Google search, populates these results.) So what's your best bet to get a bottle for your home? Maybe you're hoping a bottle or nine "fall off the back of a truck." Well, some did in Franklin County, Kentucky, or as a nine-person organized crime ring indicted on racketeering would have you believe. Yes, along with trafficking the more traditional juice of steroids, the group had barrels of Wild Turkey Whiskey amongst bottles of that juicy Pappy Van Winkle 23yr. How much did someone offer for nine bottles of Pappy? $3000. Only $333 per bottle? That's a steal. That's probably only a 100% mark up. Darn straight, I'd take all nine, too.

Let's get back to Pappy Van Winkle 23yr offered at $74. A whiskey list looks a lot more juicy to whiskey aficionados when those hard to get ones are on it. So maybe it's listed on the menu for $74 in the hope it doesn't sell. Scroll down further on the list for another whiskey from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Perhaps you'll find W.L. Weller Wheated Bourbon. Weller is made from the same wheated sour mash recipe as Pappy. This sour mash is composed of corn and wheat, whereas most bourbons use corn and rye. The wheat makes Weller, and Pappy, more mellow. Weller is delicious when served neat or in a classic cocktail. In fact, that's why the Wheat & Water House Old Fashioned is made with it.